About This Episode
Since opening in 2002, Guantánamo Bay has detained approximately 780 men and boys from 48 countries. Remarkably, only about 2 percent—16 detainees—have ever been convicted of crimes. At least 9 detainees have died in custody. As of June 2023, 30 detainees remain, with 16 cleared for release.
The interrogation methods employed at the facility are extensively documented. Sleep deprivation emerged as a systematic tool: detainees endured up to 20-hour daily interrogations lasting months. The "frequent flier" program epitomized this approach—moving detainees between cells every few hours under constant bright lights. Mohammed Jawad, detained as a teenager, was relocated 112 times over just 14 days—approximately once every 2 hours and 50 minutes.
Physical abuse documented at the facility includes waterboarding, head trauma from impacts against concrete and walls, suspension with dislocated shoulders, beatings with electric cables, sexual assault, anal penetration, stress positions, and extreme temperature exposure. Some detainees were subjected to what officials termed "forced rectal feeding," characterized by human rights organizations as rape.
Psychological torture complemented these methods. Detainees faced prolonged solitary confinement, sensory deprivation, religious humiliation including Qur'an desecration, forced nudity, dog collars and leashes, simulated executions, and exposure to blaring music for extended periods.